The deep-sea anemones Bathyphellia margaritacea and Daontesia porcupina sp. nov. with comments on the family Bathyphelliidae

Abstract

The Arctic abyssal anemone Bathyphellia margaritacea, type species of the genus and of the family Bathyphelliidae is redescribed. Acontia in this species are highly variable both in quantity and in cnidome characteristics, implying that this genus is one of the links between acontiate and nonacontiate mesomyarian actiniarians, and has to be considered a ‘late’ mesomyarian according to the scheme proposed by Schmidt (1972b, 1974). By contrast, the new abyssal species Daontesia porcupina has normally developed acontia, a cuticle consisting of multistratified sheets and a more archaic and diverse cnidome, suggesting its systematic allocation within the ‘early’ mesomyarians. The allocation of the genus Daontesia to the family Bathyphelliidae is questionable.

The first species of Actiniaria, Spongiactis japonica gen.n., sp.n. (Cnidaria: Anthozoa), an obligate symbiont of a glass sponge

“…However, the species examined by Rodríguez et al (2012), Bathyphellia australis Dunn, 1983, does not belong to this genus. It was transferred to Daontesia Carlgren, 1942by Riemann-Zürneck (1997, a genus which according to this author is not related to Bathyphel-lia and cannot be allocated to Bathyphelliidae since its cnidom suggests a relationship with the Early Mesomyaria sensu Schmidt (1972Schmidt ( , 1974 (a group of several families including Hormathiidae). So, analysis of Rodríguez et al (2012) supports Riemann-Zürnecks (1997) conclusions based on nematocysts data that the Daontesia australis (listed as Bathyphellia) is related to hormathiid species.…”

“…All taxa listed in the clade Basitrina (Rodríguez et al, 2012, Fig.1) have p-mastigophores B and not one of them has p-mastigophores A. The only exception is Bathyphellia Carlgren, 1932, the type species of which, B. margaritacea (Danielssen, 1890) has p-mastigophores A in the pharynx (Riemann-Zürneck, 1997, Sanamyan et. al., 2009.…”

The phylum Cnidaria: A review of phylogenetic patterns and diversity 300 years after Linnaeus*

“…Hormathiidae is characterized by having acontia containing only one type of nematocyst, a mesogleal marginal sphincter, and column divisible into two regions and usually provided with cuticle and tubercles. Iosactiidae Riemann-Zürneck, 1997 is a monogeneric family comprising one species from the deep-sea (Riemann-Zürneck 1997b;Fautin 2007). Iosactiidae is characterized by a burrowing habit, no basilar muscles, a small endodermal sphincter, 24 pairs of perfect mesenteries, and 24 deciduous tentacles, each with a sphincter.…”

Colonisation of hard substrata along a channel system in the deep Greenland Sea

“…The fauna linked to HS was divided into two groups of organisms, (1) specimens observed on the HS surface, and (2) specimens in close vicinity to the HS (''associated'' with HS). All organisms linked to HS were identified to the highest taxonomic level possible (using Stephensen 1943Stephensen , 1944Gaevskaja 1948;Andersen 1971;Barthel and Tendal 1993;Witte 1995;Riemann-Zürneck 1997;Schuchert 2001). Where necessary, reference material was identified by expert taxonomists (see acknowledgements).…”

“…Riemann-Zürneck 1997). The dispersion of the HS-associated fauna depends on dispersion and settlement patterns of their larvae, substrata availability and food accessibility (Mullineaux 1988).…”